Hands-on experience lets you feel what it's like to be robotic surgeon

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Know any kids interested in medicine or robotics technology? Here's an event where they can get a hands-on experience with both.

Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville is inviting the public to meet -- and name -- its new surgical robot.

The event -- from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday -- will also include a chance to test-drive the latest in robotic technology with a 3D-HD magnified vision system of the daVinci Xi Surgical System.

The community is also invited to submit suggestions for naming the new robot for a chance to win a Memorial Hospital gift package.

“We perform hundreds of robotic cases at Memorial each year, and we anticipate our numbers will keep increasing over the coming years,” said Dr. Husain Abbas, general and bariatric surgeon at Memorial Hospital. “Providing our community with an opportunity to name our newest robot and take a ‘test-drive’ is a huge ownership and educational opportunity.”

For the more competitive participants, the event also includes a Robotic Leader Board, and prizes will be provided to the top minimally invasive Rookie Robot Surgeons who are able to complete their “surgery” using the daVinci Xi in the fastest, safest times.

The daVinci robot is 100 percent controlled by the surgeon, whose hand movements are translated into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient's body.

The Xi System’s immersive 3D-HD vision system provides surgeons a highly magnified view, virtually extending their eyes and hands into the patient.

The robotic system is used for surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.

The new Xi system enables efficient access throughout the abdomen or chest, expanding on the core da Vinci System features, including wristed instruments, 3D-HD visualization, intuitive motion, and an ergonomic design.